Rise of the Guardian 3:Ascension of Darkness
by Guardian of the crest
Summary: The Dark Lord has been beaten....for now. But now a new challenge has risen, and a new foe has appeared from the past.


Gotc: Now for the next story in the Rotg series!

Ace: And why is this a good thing? Because I'm still reeling from that last one...

Gotc: Oh shut up and do the discliamer!

Ace:sigh Gotc does not own ygo, but does own me and that infernal whale.

Squeaky: - Squeek! (Yes she does!)

Ace: How do you do that...

Gotc: Now for the fic!(remember /yugi to yami//yami to yugi/)

Rise of the Guardian 3: Ascension of Darkness

_Chapter 1: Not all wounds heal with time_

Yugi stood on a hill just overlooking the pitted and scarred land where his most recent and life threatening duel had taken place the week before. They'd fought the Dark Lord Sharrackor, discovered Ace was an Atlantean, and that "Ace" wasn't even his real name. Of course that last bit of information wasn't all that new, since Yami had for some reason, known his real name already. But it was the words of Kyron, the Guardian Ace had summoned seemingly out of nowhere, that had Yugi worried.

_-flashback-_

"_Take care of Katon. This hasn't been easy on him, and trying times are soon to come. He will need the help of you and your friends very soon._"

_-end flashback-_

"Sigh...Nothing normal ever happens to me..."

/ Yes, your luck in that particular department is lacking somewhat../

/ Your part of it../ Yugi growled back through the link

/ Gomen Aibou... I did not mean to upset you./

Yugi sighed again. He knew he shouldn't snap at Yami like that, but the stress had finally started to get to him.

/It's not your fault Yami. It's just a lot to put together at once.../

/Understandable. Though I shouldn't be making it worse./

A commotion further down the hill brought Yugi back to reality. Joey and Tristan were trying to get acquainted with the dragons they had been sharing quarters with, and two of the younger ones had decided to take them for a spin. Yugi had to laugh at the sight of Joey hanging on to a dragon's neck for dear life, while the dragon went through aerial stunts that would make even the most seasoned pilot sick.

After watching the display for a few minutes, Yugi could tell the dragon was not going to let Joey down anytime soon. So he started down the hill and back towards the cave where they had been staying. He stumbled once and hissed with pain as a jolt ran through is leg.

/Are you ok Aibou/ Yami called worriedly

/Yeah, sorry. Those vines must have wrapped around my leg tighter than I thought./

Yami's brow furrowed in his soul room. Those vines had left a bruise that nearly covered Yugi's entire leg. It had started to get better, but obviously still caused him some pain.

/Anyway, I think I should be asking if _you're_ ok./

Yugi had peeked into Yami's soul room to see volumes of ancient tomes scattered across the floor. Many had blank pages, but a few had some writing in them.

/I will be when I find out what I need to know./

/ And that is.../

/In time Aibou, in time../

By this time Yugi had made it to the cave entrance, and a furious Joey, who had just been reunited with the ground.

"Will you shut up!" Teá yelled from inside the cave, "Ace hasn't woken up yet you know!"

Yugi walked inside and sat next to Teá and his unconscious friend.

"Anything?"

"No," Teá said sadly, "He's still fighting to breathe though. It's a wonder he's even alive..."

Yugi sighed and looked at Ace. The entire top half of his body had been wrapped in makeshift bandages, and there were still many other wounds that needed to be dealt with. They had found several bottles of odd liquids that everyone thought could help, but only Ace knew what was in them. Yugi's eyes shifted to the scar that ran across his chest.

"You think that Sharrackor thing gave it to him?" Teá asked catching Yugi's gaze.

"It would seem so. But I wonder-"

Yugi never got to finish his sentence before Ace began to stir.

Everything seemed to hurt. His head, his body, his heart... He half expected to see burning buildings all around him instead of the relieved faces of his friends. With a groan and a lot more effort than he had anticipated, Ace managed a sitting position. He could hear Yugi and Teá's protests, but only vaguely. He needed to be alone.

"Come on Ace lay down," Yugi pleaded, then pushing against Ace's shoulder for emphasis

But Ace only shrugged it off and staggered to his feet. He swayed once, and only once, before walking out of the cave as if absolutely nothing was wrong with him.

/Aibou, we need to follow him./

/Yami, I don't think he'd listen to us even if we did./

/Yugi/ the spirit growled//Think about it. What human being walks off like that after having nearly every bone in his body broken in one way or another? Much less is _able_ to walk off like that/

/Ace obviously./

/He's going to hurt himself. Mentally, if not physically./

/ Fine, but I don't know what you're expecting me to do./

Ace's thoughts swam as he stumbled through the tangled jungle. It seemed as if every memory he'd tried so burry in the deepest part of his mind were now clawing their way to the surface. At last the jungle ended on a cliff, with only a small bit, jutting out over the waves. It was here he'd spent so much time, gazing out across the waves praying to whatever god in the heavens that he would see that little raft on the horizon...

Ace violently shook his head. He couldn't let himself go back there. The future held hope, no matter how uncertain it may be. Not all had been on the island when Sharrackor had come, and so there was one grave still empty, one hope still alive...

"Ace?"

The voice made him jump. He'd been so lost in his own thoughts, that he never heard Yugi's footsteps coming up behind him.

"Hey Yugi," He said with a halfhearted smile, before returning his gaze to the sea.

/Well...what is it you wanted me to do/

/Talk to him/

/How? He's got that same look in his eyes that you do when you're in your memory-loss-brooding-mode. _I_ can't even talk to you when you're like that/

/I guess you're right. Let me try./

A quick flash and the Pharaoh of Egypt stood in Yugi's place. He heard Ace chuckle.

"Hey Pharaoh."

"I've got news for you, normal people usually can't tell the difference when Yugi and I switch."

"Please, do I look normal to you?"

"I guess not. But normal or not, you still need time to heal come on, let's go back to the cave."

"Pharaoh, not all wounds heal with time."

Yami sighed and took a seat next to Ace.

"Before Kyron sent Sharrackor back to the Shadow Realm, he said that you were going to need all of our help very soon."

"He what! That damned spirit! He had no right to involve you-"

"Ace! He's been with you for a long time, and been around himself a lot longer. Don't you think that he knows what he's doing? He thinks you need help."

"That _apparition_," Ace spat, "knows nothing. And I refuse to involve you or any of your friends in any of this."

"Ace, they're your friends too. During that duel, they had to hold Joey back several times to keep him from joining in the fight himself. They did the same for me, when Yugi first solved the puzzle. Before that I was alone for 5000 years."

"Pharaoh, there is a big difference from 'being alone' and living in a world where no one knows who you are or knows your name. To them you're just another face in the crowd."

"You know your name!" Yami growled at Ace's stubbornness, "I don't! I don't remember anything before Yugi solved the Puzzle! At least you have memories to look back on!"

Now anger flashed in Ace's eyes, as he met Yami's glare.

"Pharaoh, you have no idea how lucky you are," He seethed, "to not be able to remember the pain. Everything I have ever held close to me now lies buried in that valley! The place I used to call my home lies in ruins! This place, that used to be filled with the voices of people, has lay silent for nearly 10,000 years! So exactly what memory here is worth looking back on! That monster took everything from me! When I woke up after the attack, everything was burning, people lay in the streets. Everything was destroyed! I buried the people of this island one by one. And with each one I put a piece of myself with them."

Tears were now burning in Ace's eyes.

"I won't let what happened to them happen to you, or them. I can't, because it would kill me. These past few months, it's been like I've actually had a family again. It was the thought of losing you to Sharrackor that gave me the strength to summon Kyron. But it also made me see that history _does_ repeat itself, and if that fact has to be true, then when he comes back, I won't have anything left for him to take."

"Don't you think he already has? Look at you. You're surrounded by people who just want to help you, but you're too afraid of losing them that you never let yourself get close." Yami said, then began to grin, "If there's one thing I've learned about this particular group, it won't matter if you don't want them to help, they'll be there by your side just the same."

Yami got to his feet and brushed himself off.

"Now all you have to do is desire wether you'd rather be alone, or be there with the ones who care."

Ace looked back out to sea, but now there was a slight smile on his face.

"You guys can come out now."

Yami raised an eyebrow as the whole gang tumbled out of the thick jungle.

"Man!" Joey growled, "Is there any hiding on this island?"

"Not when I'm around," Ace said walking up next to Yami, "So I guess you heard all of that huh?"

"Yeah..."

"Then come on," Ace said starting to walk away, "If you guy really do want to help, then I won't try and stop you. But there is one thing I want you to see first."

"What's that?" Tristan asked.

"You need to see just what this monster is capable of."

Gotc: Dun dun dun dun...

Ace: You need to find a better way to end things than on a cliffhanger like that...

Gotc: Quiet you...And where's Squeaky?

Ace: I dunno...

Gotc: Floor begins to rumble

Lara: Hi everybody! I'm here to end this little bit seein' as how Gotc is currently incapacitated...

Explosion

Lara: Ya... Anyhoo, plz R&R!


End file.
